Salonen brings the heat with his Philharmonia Orchestra

November 08, 2012|By Alan G. Artner, Special to the Tribune

The Philharmonia Orchestra of London made its Orchestra Hall debut 57 years ago in two long programs under its principal conductor Herbert von Karajan. One had Ludwig van Beethoven's “Pastorale” Symphony before intermission; the other concluded with Hector Berlioz's “Symphonie Fantastique.”

The Philharmonia returned to Orchestra Hall Wednesday for the first time since then. The single program, under principal conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen, was the shortest and most conservative of four on a North American tour. Beethoven's Second Symphony was before intermission, Berlioz's "Fantastique" after.

Challenging programming is one of the pleasures of the Philharmonia-Salonen union. This time it brings Alban Berg's "Wozzeck" and Gustav Mahler's Ninth Symphony to California and New York. But Illinois got the audience-conscious lineup for the provinces, fewer than 90 minutes of basic repertory. And as far as attracting listeners, too many empty seats indicated it did not work

Nevertheless, the Philharmonia held refinement and virtuosity in persuasive balance. Its woodwinds and strings played with seductively blended, multi-hued tone. Brass and percussion sections proved as reliable, strong and full of character as any.

Where Salonen's outings with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra have veered from the flashy to the analytical, his explosiveness more often caught fire with the Philharmonia, bringing heat to big-band Beethoven and Berlioz.

The Beethoven Second, complete with first movement exposition repeat, had period kettledrums struck with hard sticks and a fulsome string complement of 46. Dynamic contrasts, particularly in the many sudden alternations between eruption and quiet, were observed keenly. Unforced winds plus soft string tone occasionally lit the music from within. Articulation was crisp rather than bouncy. Faster passages became ultra-brilliant, giving an edge to the violins and conveying greater muscle than play.

The Berlioz, which lacked its first movement exposition repeat, had a fine sense of atmosphere at low volume that became yoked to appropriately slamming, grinding, nagging, piercing characterization when the score became fast and loud. A surprise was the rarely heard optional part for cornet, delicately adding color to the second movement.

The woodwinds and four timpanists played with added finesse when realizing Berlioz's far-and-close spatial effects. However, in the end, the sheer visceral power of the reading memorably overwhelmed.

The lone encore was an impetuous, driven Prelude to Act Three of Richard Wagner's "Lohengrin."